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UNiTnn STATES PATENT @Trina ROBERT B. HERSKELL, OF VALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO SIMPSON, HALL, MILLER St CO., OF SAME PLACE.

HOLDER FORLELECTROPLATING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,775, dated November 23, 1880.

Application led September 27, 1880.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT B. HERsKELL, of Wallingford, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Plating Spoons, Forks, and other Articles, of which the following is a specicatiou.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus or mechanism to facilitate the coating of spoons, forks, and similar articles with a plating or covering of metal, whereby the thickness of the plating-metal shall vary at different parts of the articles, as desired, the thickness being greatest upon the parts most exposed to wear.

The invention consists of the combination of a holder adapted to conne the articles to be plated with regulating mechanism, by means of which the articles may be partially immersed to the required extent in the depositing-bath.

The invention further consists of a combination, with the said holder adapted to confine the articles to be coated, of mechanism by means of which the holder may be vertically elevated or depressed for the purpose of varying the extent to which the articles are partially immersed in the depositing-bath.

Figure lis a plan of the apparatus, showing some articles partially immersed in the depositing-bath. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same on line a: w, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents the tank for holding the depositing-bath, said tank being preferably rectangular for convenience of the articles to be plated. Secured against the opposite sides of said tank A against the inner faces thereof, and with their upper edges extending slightly above t'ne edge of the tank A, are insulating-strips a a, of glass or other suitable material,that are designed to assist in supporting the spoons B B or other articles that are to be presented in a horizontal, or nearly horizontal, position to the depositingbath C.

On the sides of the tank A, on the outside thereof, are brackets D D, supporting wooden shelves E E, and on the ends of the shelves (Model.)

E E are laid insulating-strips F F, of glass or other suitable material, that serve as supports for the metallic strips G G, which serve as electric conductors, and to which the negative wires II H of the battery. I are connected.

Stretched longitudinally across the center of the tank A is a metallic rod, K, which is connected with the positive wire L of the battery I, and suspended from this rod K by metallic hooks d d is a plate of metal, M-the anodeof the same character as that which is contained in the bath C.

When the tank A is filled nearly to its top with the depositing-liquid C, spoons B B are placed on the strips or conductors G G, with their shanks resting on the edges of the'insulating-strips a a and their bowls or handles wholly or partially submerged in the bath C, as shown, whereby said bowls or handles will receive on their submerged portions a plating of metal, while no deposit or plating will then be made on the other parts of said spoons B B.

N represents a holder for continin g the articles to be plated, consisting of a flat strip of metal provided with lugs or clamps N on one or both edges, said holder N being connected with the battery I by a negative wire, H. The regulating or adjusting and supporting mechanism of this holder N consists of two upright rods, O O, one at each end of the tank A, about midway of its width, and of a flat strip, P, of wood or other suitable material, that is set over and upon the said rods O O, and held thereon at any desired elevation by set-screws fj'. On this strip l? the holder or conductor N is laid. The lugs or clamps N clasp around the shank of a spoon, B, or similar articlethe cathode-and conne it in a verticalposi-` tion, as shown, and by means ofthe adjusting or regulating apparatus O P f the said holder or conductor N may be lowered or elevated to any desired extent for immersing the tip of the spoon bowl orhandle in thebath C, whereby the part so immersed alone will receive a plating of metal.

When the spoons or other articles have received the desired partial plating they may 'be taken from the .strips G G and holder N and be wholly immersed in the bath C and plated all over in the usual manner 5 or the ar- IOO ticles may lirst be plated all over and then have the thickness of the plating; increased at desired points by means of theapparatusherein described.

The vertically-adjust-able holder N may be constructed to hold and confine any articles that are to be unequally plated, as set forth, and the tank A, with its central anode, M, may be made of any desired capacity.

I am aware that a holder combined with a tilting mechanism has before been used in an apparatus for plating spoons, forks, and similar articles, and hence l disclaim such combination; but,

Having thus described my invention, what I. claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Au improved apparatus for platin g spoons, forks, and other articles, constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of tank A, provided with insulating-strips a a F F, and conductors G G, vertical rods O O, insulatin g-strip P, set-screwsff, and holder N, arranged and operated as set forth.

2. The combination, with the holder N, provided with lugs or clamps l of the rods. O O and insulatii'lg-strip 1?, adjustable by setscrewsff, substantially as herein shown and described.

ROBERT B. HERSKELL.

Witnesses J. J. REDMOND, C. H. BROWN. 

